1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a content playback method and apparatus for playing back video images, for example, of dramas, still images, for example, of photographs and illustrations, audio, for example, of dramas and music, and content, for example, of documents (text) such as novels; a content recording method for use with the content playback method; and a content recording medium for use with the content playback method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Content is that which can be recognized visually and auditorily by people, and is represented by signals. The playback of content presents the content to people (viewers/listeners).
In dramas formed of a video image and audio, which are presented on a television or a video unit, and also in dramas formed of only audio, which are presented on a radio, a timing of changing from one cut to the next cut is important.
If the cut change timing is too slow, a tedious and slow product with an unsuitable tempo is produced. Conversely, if the cut change timing is too fast, important matters are not seen, and when a touching scene is playing, it is not possible to fully appreciate the moment.
In general, units shorter than a scene are referred to as “cuts”, but here, all divisions are called “cuts” regardless of the length of time.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-250629, a technology related to recording and playback of audio content is disclosed in which audio title playback units are structured as cells, and management information such as the playback time and the time required for a user to operate the playback apparatus are added to the audio content in which the playback sequence of content is defined by defining the playback sequence of the cells, thereby improving ease of operation during playback.
However, an appropriate cut change timing depends on the content of the whole drama and the content of each cut, and is also influenced by the personality of the viewer/listener and the degree of concentration at that time. Thus, it is difficult to produce a drama in such a manner that the cut is changed at a timing appropriate for any viewer/listener.
It is considered that the cut is changed at an appropriate timing by the operation of the viewer/listener. However, it is inconvenient for the viewer/listener to perform a changing operation for each cut, and operation is sometimes not possible because the hands are occupied by something else.
Furthermore, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-250629, even if the playback time and the time required for operation are recorded in advance, this does not make it possible to change the cut at an appropriate timing corresponding to the respective times of the individual viewers/listeners.